Electric signal and train control.



E. W. CONKELL. ELECTRIC SIGNAL AND TRAIN CONTROL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I0, 1914.

Patented June 8, 1915.

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ELIAS w. comrnnn, or nnssnmma ALABAMA, assrerron or mnn-rwnn'rm'rns so me e. resort, or srssausn, Armenian.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL AND Q a 1-.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Ease CoNKnLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bessemer, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented-a new and useful Electric Signal and Train Control, of which automatically controlling the air brakevalve of the engine in one vehicle when it approaches another vehicle upon the. same track or when one vehicle follows another within a predetermined distance.

With these objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of arts, hereinafter described, illustrated in t e accompanying drawings and particularly pointed out in the appen ed claim, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size and minor details of construction may be made without depart' from the spirit or sacf tie rificing any 0 vention. I

In the present invention. each vehicle from.

advantages of the inwhich slgnal or control actuatin currents which a. signa and an paratus are adapted to be operated shoul be provided with what will hereina r be termed a unit, comprising an, electric system consisting of means for generating current, signaling deemanate or upon brake valve controlling a vices, and means for controlling the operation of the air brake valve,

The drawing is a diagrammatic view of a railway upon which is mounted one complete vehicle and unit, and also a fra mentary portion of a second vehicle and um Similar numerals of reference indicate corres onding parts throughout the drawings.

he numerals 1, 2, 3 and 4 indicate sections of track insul ted from each other and forming what is generally known as Specification 01 Letters ream.

Application filed July 10, 1914. Serial Ho.

tented June e 1915 blocks in a railroad system. These blocks are of considerable length, extending usually for a distance of about a mile although the exact length is of no importance. in this invention but will be governed by the circumstances in each particular instance. The third rail sections, 5, 6, 'Z, 8, 9 and 10, are preferably located beside. the track and at a distance of about five hundred feet from the insulation 11 marking the termination of each; block, although these ,railseetions may be placed closer or farther from each other as the occasion may re uire. These rail sections are each connecte to the track of the, next adjacent block by means 0 wires 12am T3, The other rail oi the system of track is represented vby the numeral 1. Y

The letter A, representsa vehicle upon the track equipped with one of the units referre to. and the'letter B represents. a similar vehjcle, similarly equipped, the greater portion of the apparatus upon the vehicle B, bemg omitted; The wheels of the vehicle A are represented by the numerals 15 and 16 and the wheels of the vehicle B- are repren d by the'num rels 1,116,18-

An el ctric cur en vided upon each'vehic e to furnish current to the unit thereon and may be driven in any convenlent and well known manner, the

manner of driving the same having no hearingju on this invention. The generator 19 may e e ther of the direct or alternating current type, which ever is desirable or con,- vement to use.

A- suitable su port 20 is shown, u on which is mpunte a An electro magnet 2 is provided with an armature 22 having a finger 23 ada ted to contact w1th the contact p ate 24;. v e wire 25 leadin from the generator is connected to a wire 6 which connects with the electromagnet and aw'ire 27 leads from the electromagnet to. a contact shoe 28 which is adapted to contact with the third rail sections .5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 when the vehicle u on wh ch said shoe is mounted passes sac of said rail sections. A similar shoe 28) is provided upon the vehicle'B and connected to the unit thereon by a wire 27". A wire 29 leads from the contact plate. 24 to a solenoid 30, provided internally with an armature 31 the lower extremi of which is pivgtglly connected to a switch blade 32 prvo enerator 19 is prort of the appara us upon a,

fro

. bracket 33 which is connected by a wire 34 solenoid 42 is connected to the wire 39 by means of a wire 43. 'A wire 44 is connected to the wire 43 and leads "to a low voltage lamp 45 which is connected in multiple to a high voltage lamp 46, both of said lamps being preferably located behind a red bullseye47 as shown in the drawing. A wire 48 passes from the high voltage lamp 46 to the terminal 49 with which the switch blade 40 is adapted to contact. A wire 50 leads from the terminal 49 to the solenoid 51.which is connected by means of a wire 52 with the wire 39 which leads back to the generator. The internal armature 53 of the solenoid 51 is pivotally connected to. a lever .54 which controls the signal whistle 55in the l0c0m0-' tive. cab. The shaft 56 of the motor 38 is provided with a worm 57 which engages a worm wheel 58 upon the air brake valve handle 59.

As lon as but one vehicle, provided with a unit suc as has been described, is mounted upon the track the circuit through'the aga ratus of the unit will at no time be clom cause of the fact that'the third rail sections are normally insulated from the track rails. Suppose however that a second vehicle, such as B, is located u on the same track asA and within the b ock 2, and that said vehicle B is traveling ahead of the vehicle A and in the same direction as the vehicle A.

In thiscase current from the generator. 19 in,

the vehicle A will pass from the contact shoe 28, through the third rail 8 and wire 13 into the track rail of .the block 2, and then through the wheel 17 and axle 60 and wheel 18 of the vehicle B into the track rails 14.

As the rails 14 are all connected byvmeansi of the electric bonds 61 the current will flow through said rails 14 and into the wheel 16 of the vehicle A and through the axle 62'to the wire 63 and back to the generator 19 in the vehicle A thus completing the circuit through the apparatusof the unit in the vehicle A. It is not necessary that a vehicle such as B, provided with a unit such as described, be withinthefhlock 2, in order to close the circuit in the unit upon the vehicle-A. Any kind of a vehicle located upon the track within the block 2 would produce the same result, as all that is necessary is that a connection be made between the rail 2 and the rail 14 in order to close the circuit throu h the apparatus carried upon the vehicle Presuming now that some vehicle hicle A. i

such vehicle is within: the block 2 when the vehicle A reaches the position shown .on the drawing, the circuit will be closed as before described. The armature 22 of the electromagnet 21. will be actuated, the finger '23 upon said armature contacting with the contact plate 24 thus closing the circuit to the solenoids 30 and 42. As the armature 31 of the solenoid 30 is actuated the switch blade 32 will be brought into contact with the terminal 36 thus completin the circuit to the motor 38. As the motor is started the worm 57 upon the shaft of the motor will rotate the worm gear 58 upon the air brake valve 59, thus applying air brakes. As the armature-41 within the solenoid 42 is actuated it will operate the switch blade 40 bringing said switch blade into contact with the terminal 49, completing the circuit to the solenoid 51 and toth light within the bulls eye 47. The armature 53 of the solenoid 51 will be actuated rocking the lever 54-which controls the whistle 55 thus blowing the whistle and warning the engineer of the vehicle B of the location ofthe vehicle A.

At the same. time the low voltage light 45' within the bulls eye 47 will light, apprising the engineer 'upon the vehicle A that the block 2 is occupied by another vehicle. The

when the circuit is closed Ordinarily the low voltage lamp will be the only one which would light when the circuit is closed but in case the low voltage lamp burns'out the high voltage lamp will light when the circuit is closed. In the event that the vehicle B is travelin within the block 2 toward the the vehicle A will come to a stop upon reaching the third rail 8 as described and the vehicle B will continue until the shoe 28 contacts with the third rail 7, where the circuit through the a paratus in the vehicle B will be closed in e same mariner as has been described with reference to the ve- A cab lamp 64 is shown connected to the wire 25 and to the wire 39 by means of the short wire 65. This lamp will .burn continuously and is in no way connected with the apparatus described in this invention being only used. as apilot light so that the engineer will know at all times that the signal apparatus is in working order.

The engine throttle 66 is controlled byineans of a solenoid 67, the armature 68 of which is pivotally connected to the handle of the throttle as shown, the lower extremity of the throttle being pivotallv connected at 69 to asuitable handle 70. The solenoid is connected to the main circuit at any suitable point bvmeans of wires 71 and 72. Thus when the circuit through the unit in the vehicle A is closed operating the audible --1,141,eae I and visible Signals and the air brake the throttle will also be operated shutting off the engine. 1

Although the drawings and above specihcation disclose the best mode in which I have contemplated embodying my invention I desire to be not limited to the details of such disclosure, for, in the further'practical application of my invention, many changes "in form and construction may be made, as circumstances require or experience suggests, Without departing from the spirit of the invention, within the scope of the appended claim.

.I claim;

In an apparatus of the character described, a main circuit, means carried by the train for automatically closing said main circuit, a generator in said circuit, an electro-magnet in said main circuit adapted to be energized when said circuit is closed,

- a contact plate adapted to be engaged by the arinature'of said electro-magnet when said electro-magnet is energized, an air brake control switch solenoid electrically" connected to said contact plate, an air brake controlling switch bladeadapted to be operated by the armature of said solenoid, an

electrical connection between said blade and 1 one side of said erator a terminal adapt- Wed to be engaged b d y sai switch blade, an

ture of said signal switch solenoid, an

air brake controller motor electrically connected to said terminal, an electrical connection from said m'otor'to the other side of said generator, a throttle controlling solenoid electrically connected to said terminal, an electrical connection leading from said solenoid back to said other side of the generator, a signal switch solenoid electrically connected to said contact plate, a signal switch adapted. to be operated by the arllna-r e ec-. trical connection between said signal switch and said air brake controller switch, a second terminal adapted to be engaged by said signal switch, signal lamps, a Wire leading from said second mentioned terminal an connected to said'signal lamps and leading back' to said other side of the generator, a. whistle controlling solenoid,a wire leading from said second mentioned terminal to said whistle controlling solenoid and a wire from said whistle controlling solenoid to said other side of the generator.

In testimony that I claim have hereunto subscribed my name 1n presence of two witnesses.

ELIAS W. coNKELL.

the above, I the Witnesses:

- F. W. Bonn,

JonN H. Brsnor. 

